Born in Virginia on July 10, 1926, she was the daughter of the late Samuel Hubbard Terry and Ava Millner Terry. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 69 years, Charlie William Martin; four brothers, three sisters and an infant child.
She is survived by her five children: Charlotte Marshall (Bob); Tim Martin (Margaret Anne), and their children, Kristen (Chase), T.J. (Brittany), and Richard (Alyssa); Eddie Martin (Dawn), and their children, Daniel (Destiny), Morgan (Wes), Matthew, and Nathan; Karen Layne (Jerry), and their children, Lauren (Lukas) and Logan (Harley); and Sharon Matts and her children, Liz (Cameron), Josh (Laura), and Harmony (Taylor). She also leaves behind 19 great-grandchildren, Blake, Brooklyn, Beckett, Lydia, Myles, Grayson, Gage, Leah, Raelyn, Sawyer, Stetson, Letty, Noah, Addie, Presley, Brody, Luna, Bentley and Chase, with three more expected to join the family soon.
Ava's greatest joy was her relationship with Jesus Christ. A longtime member of Thomas Road Baptist Church, she faithfully lived out her Christian beliefs each day. She never missed an opportunity to share the Gospel, writing her own Gospel tracts, having them printed, and handing them to everyone she met. She believed deeply that every person needed to hear the message of God's love and salvation, and she made sharing her faith one of her life's greatest missions.
Along with her love for the Lord, Ava's greatest treasure was her family. She expressed her love by caring for those around her, especially through the meals she lovingly prepared. Her kitchen was often the gathering place where family made cherished memories together. She delighted in spending time with her grandchildren, whether playing outdoors, tending her beautiful flower gardens, or simply enjoying their company. Her gentle spirit, unwavering faith, and servant's heart left a lasting impact on all who knew her.
A service celebrating Ava's life and steadfast faith will be held on her 100th birthday at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10, 2026, at Thomas Road Baptist Church, with Pastor Jonathan Falwell officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Hill Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service at the church.
The family would like to gratefully acknowledge all of the care providers, a special thank you to Penny Strange who was with mom for many years. As well as Eloise Stewart, Shannon Chester, Verna Taylor, Tanya Mayberry and Tracy Bosiger. Also, a special thank you to Gentle Shephard Hospice and her nurse Lorena Yoder, Emma Moisa, Gwen Mosebrook, Brian Taylor, Cindy Tweedy and Erica.
Those wishing to make memorial contributions are asked to consider Thomas Road Baptist Church, 1 Mountain View Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502, www.trbc.org.
